British phone-hacking trial told evidence was thrown away

Cheryl Carter, the former personal assistant to Rebekah Brooks, the former News International chief executive, arrives at the Old Bailey courthouse in London Oct 29, 2013.Carter disposed of tens of her boss's archived notebooks at the height of Britain's phone-hacking scandal, a court heard on Tuesday. -- FILE PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON (AFP) - A personal assistant to former News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks disposed of tens of her boss's archived notebooks at the height of Britain's phone-hacking scandal, a court heard on Tuesday.

Cheryl Carter is standing trial along with Brooks at the Old Bailey, Britain's top criminal court, charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Carter maintains that the notebooks, numbering around 30, were hers and that all Brooks' possessions were returned to the News International office.

She is alleged to have disposed of the evidence just hours before Rupert Murdoch was forced to close flagship tabloid the News of the World.